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Construction

Plasterer and Stucco Mason

Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.

Annual openings

58

Median wage

$47,570

Typical education

High school (GED), plus completion of apprenticeship or similar work experience.

Growth 2026–2032

-1%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED), plus completion of apprenticeship or similar work experience.

Credential requirement

Credential requirements not reported

Credential detail

Become a Skilled Trades Master Craftsman. Depending upon the trade, Skilled Trades Professionals can become Master Craftsmen through experience and additional credentials. Master Craftsmen earn more money and may supervise apprentices in the trade.

Experience detail

Work experience under the guidance (possibly as an apprentice) of a Skilled Tradesperson is expected.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Automation exposure

High exposure

Many tasks are repeatable, so technology could reshape the day-to-day over time.

A typical day

  1. Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
  2. Clean and prepare surfaces for applications of plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials, such as by drywall taping.
  3. Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
  4. Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
  5. Create decorative textures in finish coat, using brushes or trowels, sand, pebbles, or stones.
  6. Apply insulation to building exteriors by installing prefabricated insulation systems over existing walls or by covering the outer wall with insulation board, reinforcing mesh, and a base coat.
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